


Be Loved In The Arms of Someone Else

by TheAngelofFate



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Episode: s02e21-22 Twilight of the Apprentice, Ezra is a sweet and loving boy, Family, Father's Day, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hugs, Kanan is a loving father towards Ezra and nothing more, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Mira and Ephraim are proud of their boy for moving on from them, and getting himself a new family, and they are grateful towards Kanan and Hera for taking in and loving their son just as deeply
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 11:10:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14953560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngelofFate/pseuds/TheAngelofFate
Summary: Father's Day use to be something that Ezra would go all out to celebrate, the same went with Mother's day. But after the Empire took them Ezra couldn't bare the thought of even remembering the dates, remembering the moments of happiness, he had with them. Because as far as Ezra was concerned, a part of him died that day his parents were taken. But then he met Kanan, met his new family and suddenly, he felt like for the first time in years, he could breathe again.





	Be Loved In The Arms of Someone Else

Father's Day use to be an event Ezra loved to celebrate. From the time he could remember, Ezra had such fond memories of waking his father up early in the morning with a drawing he had made all on his own and card that his mother helped him cut out the night before. His mother, also would helped him make breakfast and serve it in bed for Ephraim, just like he and his father would do for her on many separate occasions. Whenever she did this, young Ezra made a mental note to do something extra special for Mother's day when it rolled around again in the next coming year.

He remembered pulling on his father's arm and tugging him outside along with the other children together they would watch the fireworks some of the locals would put on every year, the colors varied from green to blue for the father's and pink and purple for the mothers. Ezra loved these two days more then any holiday they had, even more then Life Day. Because to Ezra, it felt like it was the one time, that he could fully express just how much his parents truly mattered to him.

 _"Dad?"_ He remembered saying to Ephraim through sleepy eyes.

 _"Yes, son?"_ His father would ask, fondness in his voice, as the fireworks finally died down and everyone started making their way back home. 

 _"Thank you for all you do for me."_ His words coming out of his mouth in slurs as his eyes was growing more and more heavy, exhaustion setting in. _"I love you."_

As his eyes close, Ezra, at age 7 years old, felt his father press his lips to the top of his head, for the last time. _"I love you too, Ezra."_

Father's Day use to be a day Ezra had such fond memories for, use to love remembering. But that was before his parents were suddenly just... _gone_. Taken by the Empire without a single trace left behind.

The next year when both of these holiday's rolled around Ezra couldn't help but treat them like he's had every year, **denial** set in and he found himself drawing pictures for his parents, his child-like mind believing that everything was fine in those few moments, that these holidays were the same as they have always been, nothing out of the ordinary. Then _reality_ came crashing down around him as he stared at the card he made his father and realized it was the same one that he made his mother only a few months ago for Mother’s Day, his mental state promptly shattered, as Ezra fell to his knees sobbing uncontrollably, clinching the papers to his chest, realizing painfully that his parent weren't coming back.

After that day, Ezra refused to celebrate any holiday regarding his parents, it just— it hurt too much to think about. The memories he once held so dear made his heart ache. But just like everything else that happened in his life, something changed. For years later, Ezra found himself apart of the Ghost Crew. For the first time in years Ezra felt like a part of a family again, he felt safe and loved and cared for.

He felt wanted, he felt _alive_.

It was only when an entire two years past by when it finally dawned on him. He had been laying down on the ground asleep, but Zeb's snoring as always proved to be difficult to block out, that and he also couldn't get what he had said towards Kanan out of his head.

_"Just like I don't need you."_

He grimaced visibly, _Force_ **how** could he have said such a thing? To Kanan no less, someone that took Ezra in, cared for him, openly supported everything he did, even if it got them in trouble. And of course, his mentor isn't going to blame him for it, wasn't going to get mad at him for saying it, because that was Kanan. _Kanan_ , who was injured and _**permanently** _ blinded because Ezra was too trusting, always wanting to see the good in people no matter what they look like. Kanan, who was in every sense, but blood— his parent, a surrogate parent, but one nonetheless, and nonetheless more strong and important. Ezra sat up in his bunk, and in that moment the date flashed within his mind.

Tomorrow was Father's Day, in fact, it was in just a few short hours, hell _less_ then that, in at least 30 minutes. Something he hasn't celebrated in years because the pain of it all, how his parents— how it all hurt far too much and far too deep. But as he thought of this day, thought of the pain, the more it started to fade away. Memories of his father, were slowly integrating, never overlapping but intertwining with moments he shared with Kanan. It was then that he realized how similar Ephraim and Kanan were when it came to him. Always so supportive, both always affectionate and wise. Always there when he need them most, until Ephraim wasn't, _couldn't_ be there anymore.

Then the memories of his father faded then and Kanan’s was all he could see, not because he didn't love his father nor because he didn't miss him and his mother —because _Force_ he did, so much that it ached— but mainly because his memories of Ephraim stopped abruptly at age seven, and everything seemed to cease within his life after that, everything became numb and fuzzy, he went through life surviving but never truly living, that was until he met Kanan that day on Lothal, where the _Force_ brought them together, connected them on a deeper level then Ezra ever thought was possible. Where for the first time, he felt awake, where the fog had cleared and his heart felt like it was beating when it hadn't in what felt like decades.

Kanan was a parent, _his_ dad. There was absolutely no denying that, and after what he said to Kanan only a mere few hours ago, about not needing him out of anger and hurt— Ezra felt, wanted, _needed_ to show Kanan how much he meant to him, how grateful he truly was for connecting with him, teaching him and caring for him. He just... hoped, _prayed_ that his father **and** his mother, wouldn't mind if he celebrated these days with Hera and Kanan instead whenever they rolled around.

He _hoped_ that they wouldn't be mad at him.

Then abruptly, Ezra felt something push him against his mind, a gentle nudge, like someone was ushering him forward, _it's okay_ it seemed to say silently. And that was the push his needed, for Ezra leaped off his bunk, his mind was racing at possible ideas as he paced around the room. He didn't have much time, what exactly could he do for Kanan, in just a few minutes? Ezra was far too old to make Kanan a card, nor would Kanan have any use for that seeing as well— he wouldn't be able to see what it said. So maybe? Breakfast? Immediately, he dispelled that idea as well, the last time he tried to cook in Hera's kitchen, he made this huge mess and had to clean it up. Hera, kindly saying that if he wanted something to eat, she would have been more then happy to make him something, making Ezra feel equal parts embarrassed and guilty.

So cooking, also out of the question.

Pacing around his room, Zeb's snores continued to be a constant background noise. But then what could he do? More importantly, what would Kanan even _want_?

Suddenly, he stopped and grinned.

 _That_ was it. Sliding on his boots, Ezra quietly, went out into the hallway.

Because Ezra knew the one thing Kanan wanted, something that he himself caused him to loose in the first place; his sight, and while he wouldn't be able to restore it, he could give Kanan something that he hoped would not only fill that rifted between them even had caused since Malachor, not only would make his own guilt for it go away, but make Kanan feel a little more at peace.

As quickly and silently as he could, Ezra made his way towards Kanan's room, pressing the button, the door opened with a small _hiss_ and Ezra looked inside to see Kanan still fast asleep, for a moment Ezra feels guilty about needing to wake him up, but if his idea was going to play out, then it had to be done and quickly. Still though, he found himself hesitating, as he walked over and stood beside Kanan's bunk, reaching out a hand and paused, suddenly feeling nervous. Then, before he could move his hand another inch forward, Ezra watched as Kanan slowly awoke. Kanan, through their bond must have felt Ezra's nervousness and hesitation, was he projecting that forcefully?

"Ezra?" Kanan said groggily, his voice still tinged with sleep, as he instinctively rubbed at his eyes, and then reached out with his hand, trying to find him. His hand settled around Ezra's outstretched wrist. "What's wrong? Nightmare?"

Ezra shook his head, "No, nothing like that, I mean Zeb was snoring again so I couldn't get to sleep." He explained, which was partly true. The other parts being his guilt over what he had said to Kanan and what finally drove away the need for sleep was of course, his plan for celebrating this holiday.

Kanan, despite how tired he still looked, chuckled. Then it faded and it looked like he was concentrating. "Something else?"

Ezra hesitated another moment before, deciding it was pointless to try and lie. Kanan knew him far to well. "And well, I was thinking about what I said to you, before I went on my mission for Reklam Station."

Instantly, Kanan's hand tightened around Ezra's wrist ever so gently. " _Ezra—_ " Kanan began, his voice soft, ready and willing with no waste of time to give Ezra comfort, showing him with soft words and physical affection, to say that everything was okay and he wasn't angry at him for saying those words.

But Ezra interrupted him. "It's okay, Kanan. I get it, I know. I didn't come here for you to talk me down, I have something to show you."

Kanan blinked at his words, confused, "Show me?"

Ezra grinned and this time he wrapped his hand around Kanan's wrist and tugged him gently forward. "Yeah, it's outside. C'mon." Kanan, who was still utterly confused, but complied anyway, got out of bed and let Ezra lead him out towards the hanger door, let Ezra drag him outside a few feet away from Chopper Base, until they came to a stop.

"So what is it you want to show me?" Kanan asked, and Ezra smiled feeling excited and happy for the first time in the last six months.

"We have to wait for it." Ezra replied vaguely, as he sat down on his knees. still trying to keep it a surprise.

Kanan raised an eyebrow down at him. "Wait for it?"

"Yeah."

After a few seconds, Kanan shrugged and sat down next to him.

Then they waited.

And waited.

After five minutes of complete silence, Kanan finally spoke. "You going to tell me what this is all about?"

Ezra thought for a moment as he watched the sky ahead of them begin to brighten as the sun was now coming up, and decided that he would explain, only a little. "Back on Lothal, we had these separate days once a year where we would spend the whole day showing how much our parents meant to us. And growing up I remember loving those holidays because I felt like it was the day that I could finally show how much my parents meant to me." If he closed his eyes right now, he could still see those old memories, of him and his parents. "And after, well— After the Empire, and I was alone. I stopped celebrating those holidays, it hurt to much to remember, too much to talk about."

He felt Kanan's hand gently fall on his shoulder. "Ezra—" Kanan began again, his voice tinged with sympathy and sadness.

But Ezra kept going, now that he was talking he didn't stop, couldn't stop now. "For years I stopped, and for years I felt numb to everything, it was like I wasn't even alive. But then, something happened." Ezra inhaled a deep breathe and pushed the words forward. "I met you guys. You all took me in, gave me a family, something that I haven't had in years. And—" Ezra looked out towards the sky, which was now a combination of different shades of blue, orange and purple. "And it's all thanks to you, Kanan."

He watched as Kanan's eyes widened, blinking several times as though he had misheard him. "I-I know we've had a few _bumps_ along the way but meeting you, having you teach me about life and being a good person— has been the best thing that's ever happened to me." Ezra hadn't realized he was crying, hadn't noticed he was trembling until he felt wetness dripping off his chin and fall on his shaking hands.

Looking to Kanan, he saw that his Master was also silently crying, also shaking.

"I know that I will never be able to let my parents go, I know that I can't just stop doing things that remind me of them, that's no way to live." Slowly, Ezra place his hand on top of Kanan's and smiled through his tears as now finally the sun had risen from the mountains of Atollon. The sun itself cast various colors of blue, yellow and orange, and small tints of purple lingered there, throughout the sky. It was beautiful, something that he knew Kanan probably missed seeing, seeing as it had been something Kanan had did often before Malachor, when they would break away from training, or mediate. "I know that I can't give you your eyesight back. I _know_ that, but I thought this might be enough? To show you how much you mean to me." Closing his eyes, Ezra concentrated as he projected within his Master's mines eye, within their bond, a mental picture of what he was seeing, an exact replica of the sunrise that was before them.

And while he was at it, Ezra also showed Kanan an image of himself, what he looked like now, his short hair how much taller he was, his outfit. He felt an emotion pass through Kanan; shock, surprise, and then sadness. Ezra continued, he showed Kanan what color Sabine's hair was now. What some of her paintings looked like, images of Atollon, Chopper Base. And what's more, he showed him Hera. Another emotion passed through Kanan, a _longing_ and it lingered there for quite some time.

Finally, Ezra opened his eyes, a smile on his face and tear's still cascading down his cheeks. "Happy Father's Day, Kanan." He said with every ounce of love, sincerity and truth he muster. Ezra barely had time to react when suddenly Kanan was yanking on his wrist and pulling him tightly against his chest. He felt Kanan trembling as the older man wrapped his arms around him, holding him in a death grip, felt the tears running down his cheeks and dripping on to his neck. Waves of emotions and feelings filled Ezra's side of their bond; protectiveness, affection, fondness, love, _so much love_.

These emotions were Kanan's about Ezra. And every single one of them were completely genuine and sincere. And _that's_ what finally broke Ezra, at age seventeen years old, Ezra cried like he was a child again.

Now they were both clinging to each other, either one ready or willing to let go anytime soon. "Thank you, kiddo. Thank you so much." Kanan whispered into his hair.

"I'm sorry, Kanan. For what happened— for what I said, what I did." He babbled, as he cried clinging to his dad as if his life depended on it the guilt of the mistakes he made crashed into him relentlessly. 

Arms tightened around his back, a chaste kiss pressed against his temple. "It's okay, it's okay, _it's okay_." Kanan said this as though it was mantra as well as words of comfort.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Kanan." He stated, as he remembered these were similar words to what he had told his father back on Lothal all those years ago. "I love you."

"Love you too, kiddo. And thank you for being the best thing that happened to me."

And as they sat there, holding each other, Ezra felt something warmth grow in his heart, within his connection to the Force, something that burned just as brightly as Kanan's signature connected to his own and for a moment he realized that maybe Kanan's words about life not ending with upon death might actually have been true. And maybe that this was what his parents wanted for him all along, he just needed a little push in the right direction.

**Author's Note:**

> Since Father's day is literally around the corner, in a few hours or possible now if by the time i actually post this. I decided to dust off my laptop and writer another story of Kanan and Ezra since I have been taking a break from writing to play some video games since I have been neglecting my PS4 recently. I want to explain right away if it wasn't clear that whole Ezra will never forget his parents nor will he let them go (that is until the ending of the show) that doesn't mean he can't go forward. Because moving on and letting go are two very different things and in the series with Ezra's parents, he's moved on but it's only until "A World Between Worlds" and "A Family Reunion and Farewell", did he finally learn to let go.
> 
> Apologies if this story isn't very good. I wrote it in the span of five hours maybe but I'm posting it anyway, so I hope you guys enjoyed this randomness. Please leave your thoughts in a comment they are always appreciated and always welcomed, (I’m having a really tough day today) and I will see you all next time.


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